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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Calling parents of thumb suckers...

33 replies

Flamesparrow · 21/03/2006 09:01

Having had a dummied DD and wanting to avoid it with DS as much as possible, I was just wondering what age they started thumb sucking?

DS will suck his fist occasionally at the moment, so I can see him finding his thumb eventually, just not really sure when they normally do.

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Surfermum · 21/03/2006 09:05

Hey Flamesparrow! How's it going? I'm sure dd was sucking her thumb on her scan, and IIRC she was sucking it practically from day one. She's never needed a dummy.

bamboo · 21/03/2006 09:09

DD started at 2! I smugly thought I had got away with it as she never had a dummy either. But her best friends at nursery were thumbsuckers and so she started. I don't mind but dh hates it

Original poster

Flamesparrow · 21/03/2006 09:09

Hello! Its going well - I'm probably not helping with the whole thumb sucking thing at the moment.. he likes being swaddled so one sort of counteracts the other!

OP posts:

Feistybird · 21/03/2006 09:11

My 3yo has just stopped (except at night) and she started from the day she was born.

Aaaaah, you've made me all broody!

Uwila · 21/03/2006 09:11

I think if you don't give them a dummy they start sucking their thumbs just after they discover that they have hands. I have two thumb suckers. Can't remember when they started but it was very early.

geekgrrl · 21/03/2006 09:13

bamboo, mine started that late, too! Still sucking at nearly 7... but now she's at least down to only doing it when she's tired or needs a bit of comfort. I don't mind either.

Piffle · 21/03/2006 09:14

dd found thumb on first day of arriving, then lost it for 6 mths, she had a dummy, she was always a sucky baby.
She found her thumb again when I ditched her dummy at 6 mths
At 3 she sucks when tired or in bed.
she only sucks with her blanket so I am now restricting her blanket to sleep times and long car journeys as her front teeth are looking like they might be moving forward, although tbh they;ve always looked like that!

izzybiz · 21/03/2006 09:29

my cousin is in her 30s and still sucks her thumb at home if she is tired or upset!
My Dd doesnt have a dummy but doesnt suck her thumb either.

spidermama · 21/03/2006 09:32

My dd was on a mission to suck her thumb from the day she was born. It took her a couple of weeks to be able to get it into her mouth but she worked hard at it in all her waking hours.

She gave up thumb sucking at five after we noticed it was pushing her teeth out (it doesn't with everybody) and we nagged her.

Uwila · 21/03/2006 09:53

I restrict the thumb sucking in the 3 year old to sleep time (afternoon nap and bedtime). She developed an ugly and painful sore on her thumb (from her bottom teeth). So with the reduced times on thumbsucking the sore has gone almost completely, and it doesn't hurt her anymore.

Bozza · 21/03/2006 09:55

My DS was sucking his thumb on the scan but neither he or DD have been thumb suckers despite not having a dummy either.

lunarx · 21/03/2006 10:11

ds started sucking his thumb around 4 months i believe...

Caligula · 21/03/2006 10:23

In the womb. The picture's quite clear. He's still doing it at 6 and a half when he's tired or uncomfortable or unhappy.

corblimeymadam · 21/03/2006 10:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mcmudda · 21/03/2006 10:46

Dd found her thumb at birth and is still sucking but only ever in her cot. If she's really tired she starts the second my feet hit the first tread of the stairs up to her room! I will discourage her if she ever starts to do it outside of sleep times.

I sucked my thumb until I was about 7 (to get to sleep) then stopped myself when children at school pointed out my lumpy thumb! Had no dental problems though.

SoupDragon · 21/03/2006 10:52

DS1 found his at 4 weeks. He still sucks it now at 7 and it has affected his teeth and jaw - my only consolation is that he would probably have needed orthodontic treatment anyway. DS2 needed nothing but I think DD is a natural thumbsucker too as she keeps trying to find hers (has only managed it once) - I'm not going to encourage her.

LIZS · 21/03/2006 10:55

dd was ariound 8/9 weeks old and gave it up at just over 4.

MerlinsBeard · 21/03/2006 11:03

both mionr are thumb suckers, DS1 started when he was about 5 months with a blanket (!!) and DS2 was also a hand sucker til he was about 4 months and has sucked his thumb whilst clinging onto a rabbits ears at the same time ever since!!

He will find his thumb soon if thats what he finds comforting, or even his fingers!

Hoe ur all ok

MerlinsBeard · 21/03/2006 11:04

sorry about typos, typing with O bashing the keyboard!!

Original poster

Flamesparrow · 21/03/2006 11:04

I'm so torn - DS is clearly a sucky baby.. he'll suck anything to soothe himself (including DH's nose the other night! ). I'm reluctant to give in with dummies partly for snobby reasons - always hated how they looked on DD, and partly for the giving it up... I know I won't be firm enough to take it at 6 months (I'll be relying on it at bedtime by then), which leaves me with a child who is aware of mummy nicking his dummy, and choosing when is right to do it etc.

But, then we get left with the thumb being harder to stop. I like how babies look sucking thumbs, so that aspect is ok .

So far he's had a dummy a couple of times when he just would not settle to sleep, but its the old thing of him spitting it out as he dozes off then crying when he realises.

Argh - how can one decision be so hard??? Thankyou for all your ages though - I was worried it could be one of those things of they suck from day one or not at all.

OP posts:

Enid · 21/03/2006 11:05

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

mumfor1standfinaltime · 21/03/2006 11:10

Ds started sucking his thumb when tired when he was around 8 weeks. I tried a dummy, but he wouldnt take to it.
I honestly cant remember when he stopped sucking his thumb, but he is now 14.5m and doesnt suck it anymore!
He has a Winnie Pooh comfort blanket which he chews on when he is tired or grumpy!

bl0ndie · 21/03/2006 11:11

Hi flamesparrow and everyone else. Funny you should bring this up, my dd is now about 4 months old and has started sucking her thumb. My mum told me to discourage it and give her a dummy, but dh says the thumb's better :) Help! Do you think a thumb is better, as I tried the dummy and she loved it as much as her thumb (which surprised me as shes still breastfed)

MerlinsBeard · 21/03/2006 11:12

if u don't want a dummy then don't give one! (she says as if its really that simple!)

tbh i don't have a prob with them thumb sucking and having blankets/bunnies. If its comforting to them then great

however, i have "restricted" Js usage of his blankie to only in his bedroom. If he feels the need to "snuggle" he can go get it and snuggle in there but otherwise its for sleeps. seems to have worked ok so am planning on doing the same thing with O when hes a bit older.

puddle · 21/03/2006 11:12

We gave dd a dummy between 2 and 5 months. It really helped for that short period and was quite easy to get rid of.

ds 6 sucked his thumb from about a month and like enid's dd still does it in bed sometimes.

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